Hans Gruber and the Die Hards fuse cumbia & ska-punk on new single off upcoming LP
Austin ska-punks Hans Gruber and the Die Hards will follow their great 2021 split with Sgt. Scag with a new full-length album, With A Vengeance, due May 3 via Ska Punk International (pre-order). It’s got 16 songs, one of which features guest vocals from Adam Davis (Link 80, Omnigone), and we’re premiering the video for lead single “Nothing Like a Good Old Fashioned Witch Hunt,” which finds the band bringing a strong cumbia influence into their usual ska-punk sound.
“‘Nothing Like a Good Old Fashioned Witch Hunt’ started as a musical exploration into Kurt’s obsession with the horn heavy Cumbia sounds he was introduced to while living in Texas,” the band tells us. “Not being one to shy away from cramming several genres together, we also managed to flow through some hardcore and punk rhythms in the piece. Lyrically, this song represents some stream of consciousness frustrations Kurt had with some of his friends, family and self, that, in retrospect, also reflect some of the more bizarre aspects of modern American culture.”
About the video, they add, “We’d love to tell you the old fashioned 3D effects applied to this music video is about world views and our split nation. But it’s just because we thought it looked cool. Feel free to read into it and give the video some depth and meaning for us.” The song rips, and its unique blend of genres really feels like a breath of fresh air for punk. Check it out below.
About the album overall, the band adds, “With a Vengeance is the most ‘Hans Gruber and the Die Hards-y’ album we’ve done. Cliche as it is to say, it’s been a weird time getting this out and we can’t be more proud.”
Tracklist
1. Nothing Like a Good Old Fashioned Witch Hunt
2. No No Bronto
3. My Friend Chuck
4. Vril Society
5. No Outside Tanks
6. Time, I Don’t Want It Anymore
7. Blood on the Walls
8. Brazil
9. Let’s Drive Everywhere
10. An Old Man Like Me
11. Monster of Walgren Lake
12. Credit Cards are a Product of Satan
13. Dandruff
14. You’re Being Watched
15. Squatcore feat. Adam Davis
16. Praise to the Algorithm
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Also, Ska Punk International just launched SPI Direct, and the first video is out with teasers for more upcoming releases the label is putting out:
